can't get skins to work

if there is someone that can explain how to get skins to work that say they have gear for both dashboard and WISbar, then i would love to hear it. i followed all the directions for each of the themes\skins that i downloaded and none of them work the way that they say they will. i have one called the time machine that said it had both skins for dash and for WISbar, but when i try to activate it through dash all that happens is that the bar goes back to the basic formate in a brown color. i cant find any file that lets WISbar even work when i try to look for it with WIS.
i just want to be able to find themes that will work with both WIS and dash at the same time, so they look the same.
nothing i have downloaded except for once called chromePDA even works the way it say.
i am using WISbar advanced if that makes any difference.
thanks,
J